1. Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an improved thermal conditioning apparatus for thermally treating a patient. More specifically, the present invention relates to an inflatable apparatus for bathing a patient with a thermally conditioned medium. Such a treatment apparatus is useful for medically treating a patient suffering from hypothermia or hyperthermia, or for maintaining the body temperature of a patient undergoing a surgical procedure.
2. Description of Related Art
Conventional patient thermal treatment systems suffer from several disadvantages. First, conventional patient thermal treatment systems fail to deliver the thermal medium to the patient without encumbering access to the patient's body. Next, conventional patient thermal treatment systems are difficult to manufacture, consisting of numerous parts requiring a time-consuming, labor-intensive, and costly manufacturing process to assemble into a completed system. Finally, conventional patient thermal treatment systems are thermally inefficient in treating patients. With conventional patient thermal treatment systems, patients are subjected to large thermal gradients within the thermal treatment apparatus, causing undesirable hot-spots or cool zones.
Accordingly, there is a need for an improved thermal conditioning apparatus for treating a patient which is inexpensive, easy to manufacture, flexible in its operation, and provides a more uniform thermal treatment.